Hereford 7 – Bardon Hill 0

Four Goals For Mustapha Bundu

Pete Beadle made three changes to the starting XI ahead of today’s league clash with Bardon Hill. Rob Purdie was restored in midfield as Pablo Haysham dropped to the bench, Jamie Willets partnered Ryan Green in the heart of defence as Nathan Summers missed out on a place in the squad, and Joe Tumelty also dropped to the bench as Mustapha Bundu started on the wing. New signing Jamie Laird was also named as a substitute.

Hereford got this afternoon’s proceedings underway at a wet and blustery Edgar Street, attacking their favoured Blackfriars End in the first half. Mustapha Bundu was quick to force a corner within the opening 30 seconds following his attack down the left wing. With the first two of three corners put behind by Bardon Hill's defence, Rob Purdie played a nice one-two with Aaron Birch before neatly playing in a low cross to the onrushing Bundu at the near post. Bundu made no mistake in flicking the ball home to open the scoring.

In the 8th minute, Martin Horsell was quickly called into action to deny Luke Edwards, pushing his low drive around the post. The resulting corner flashed across the face of goal before harmlessly going behind for a goalkick.

Hereford pushed to increase their lead, Rob Purdie was deemed offside after Aaron Birch played a nice through ball and Dylan Bonella had his corner swiftly cleared by the visitors. 

In the 22nd minute, Hereford's persistence paid off after some good build up play between John Mills and Mike Symons. Bundu burst into the box before being dispossessed by Lee Attenborough, however Rob Purdie was on hand to pick up the loose ball on the edge of the area and with a powerful strike, drove the ball past Ben Gough in the Bardon Hill goal.

With the Whites playing against the rain and a strong wind in the first half, they continued to create chances. Firstly, following some good build up play between Purdie and Symons, they worked the ball to John Mills in front of goal, but his chipped effort cleared the crossbar; before captain Joel Edwards tried to play a through ball to Mills, but it just evaded the striker as Gough came out to gather.

HT: Hereford 2 - Bardon Hill 0

With Hereford undeniably the stronger of the two sides, 7 minutes after the restart Mustapha Bundu grabbed the third. Jimmy Oates made progress down the right on one of his frequent breaks forward, before his low cross was cut out by the visitors. Dylan Bonella quickly won back possession, before teeing up Bundu. The Sierra Leonean rendered the keeper helpless with his beautiful left-footed dipping effort into the top right hand corner of the net.

It then took only a matter of minutes for Bundu to score his 2nd hat-trick in a Hereford shirt. He burst through the centre, and from edge of box with just the keeper left to beat, fired low underneath Gough to send the home side into raptures. 

The onslaught continued from Hereford, as John Mills dragged a shot wide before setting up Bundu for fifth goal of the afternoon in the 63rd minute. Mills played the ball into the box ahead of the onrushing Bundu and he slotted the ball home past Gough.

A flurry of changes for both sides followed, with Hereford looking to give some key players a rest and Bardon Hill attempting to stop the rot.

In the 71st minute substitute James Bowen combined effectively with Rob Purdie as he rounded his man and cut into the box from right. But after trying his luck from within the area, Bowen’s shot went wide of the target.

4 minutes later, John Mills, who had worked tirelessly all afternoon was unlucky not to grab one of Hereford’s goals after he had his cross come shot blocked by Lee Attenborough. As Bundu found himself in possession on the left, he showed some great footwork as he worked his way into box, before he sent a curling effort wide at the far post. 

In the 83rd minute, Hereford continued to add to their goal tally, as Anthony Robbins scored his first goal since joining the club. James Bowen crossed a low ball into the box from the right, with Robbins bursting through, he managed to get enough on the ball to redirect it past Gough for the White’s 97th league goal this season.

2 minutes later Mike Symons rounded off a fine display from the Bulls as he headed home Hereford’s seventh. John Mills tried his luck from 12-yards, but Gough did well to parry the ball before Mitch Hulse cleared the danger. But as the hosts reworked the ball into the box, Rob Purdie found the rising Mike Symons at the far post with his cross, as he headed the ball down across the line past the despairing keeper.

FT: Hereford 7 – Bardon Hill 0

Att: 2,840

Sponsors’ MotM: Rob Purdie and Mustapha Bundu

Hereford: Horsell, Oates (Bowen – 67’), Edwards(c), Green (Laird – 65’), Bonella (Robbins – 71), Willets, Purdie, Birch, Mills, Bundu, Symons.

Subs not used: Tumelty, Haysham.

Bardon Hill: Gough, Reeves , Eggington, Green, Attenborough, D Edwards, Mulonga, Pearce, Chaplin, L Edwards, Paparozzi.

Subs: Johnson, Ginvert, O'Connor Richards, Jarram, Hulse.

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